Car coupler



Sept. 11,' 1923.

' R. v. TUCKER CAR COUPLER Fiied Dec. 10j. 1920 Patented Sept. 11, 1923.

UNITED STATES ROGER V. TUCKER, OF BYERS, TEXAS.

CAR coUrLnR.

To @ZZ who/m. t 'may concern:

Be it known that I,IR0GER V. TUCKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Byers, in the county of Clay and State of Coupler, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relatesxto car couplers, it being the primary object of the invention to provide a car coupler which will automatically lock, when two coupler heads are brought into operative relation with each other.

A further object of the invention is to provide heads of this character which will be moved to their locked positions by contact with each other, thereby eliminating the neceity of an attendant setting the coupler heads.

Vith the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the coupler head, showing the same as in its locked position.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the same.

Figure 3 is a sectional view through a coupler head, showing the latch member thereof in its open position.

Figure 4: is a sectional View through a coupler head showing the latch member in its closed position.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the

reference character 5 designates a coupler head which -is provided with a shank 6 forming the draw bar of the head, the head proper being provided with an opening 7 which extends from the free end thereof, and terminates at a point adjacent the base of the head, which opening is designed to receive the movable actuating bar 8.

This actuating bar 8 moves longitudinally of the head 5 and is provided with a cut out portion 9, having a curved wall 10 and a relatively straight wall 11, the wall 11 being provided to contact with the portion 12 of the latch member 13, the latch member being IC El curved and provided with anotched pory tionl4 adapted' to cooperate vwith the keeper 15 which holds the latchmember in closedv .or locked position. Texas, have invented a new and useful Car The keeper includes a `body portion 16 pivotally connected to the coupler head as at 17 and held in itsnormal position as by means of the springmember 18which` is secured to the coupler head and has one extremity thereof normally lying in a notched portion of the body portion of the keeper as at 19.

The latch member is pivotally connected to the head 5, as at 20, there being provided a coiled spring 21 which connects the latch member 13 to the body portion 21, whereby the latch member is normally held in its unlocked position, the spring member acting to hold the latch member in its position as indicated by Figure 3 of the drawing.

While I have shown and described a single coupler head, it is of course obvious that in the operation of the device, a coupler head as described is carried at each end of the car,'in such position that the link member 22, which is carried by one coupler head, will contact with the actuating bar of the adjacent coupler head, wheref upon the latch member 13 pivots to engage its keeper, whereupon the draw bars are locked together.

It is of course obvious that the movement of the latch member 13 is accomplished by the pressure exerted on the actuating bar 8, by the adjacent coupler head, which pressure moves the actuating bar throughout the length of the opening in which the same is positioned.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. In a coupler head, a shank portion, 'said coupler head having an Aopening formed therein, a movable actuating bar operating in the opening, a latch member pivoted adjacent to the lactuating bar and having an extension contacting with the actuating bar, means for normally holding the latch member in an open position, a pivoted keeper, and said actuating bar adapted to move the latch member into engagement with the keeper to lock the latch member.

2. In a coupler head, a shank portion, said head having an opening formed therein, an actuating bar disposed in the opening and having a cut out portion, a pivoted latch member having an extension disposed within the cut out portion and contacting with one Wall thereof, said actuating bar adapted to move the latch member into its locked position, and means for receiving one end of the latch member.

3. In a coupler head, a Shank portion, said head having an opening formed therein, an actuating bar movable Within the opening, a pivoted latch member contacting with the actuating bar and movable therewith, a pivoted keeper carried by the head, said keeper adapted to engage one end of the latch member to lock the same, and a spring member for normally holding the latch member in an open position.

4. In a coupler head, a draw bar including a shank portion, said' head having an opening formed therein. a movable actuating bar operating in they opening and adapted to extend beyond one end of the head, a pivoted latch .member having connection with the dra-W bar,'said latch member adapted to move upon movement of the actuating bar, and means carried by the latch member for normally nrgingtheactuating bar to its unlocked position.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing f' as my own, I have hereto alli'xed my signature 1n the presence ot tvvo Witnesses.

ROGER v. frncknnl.v

i Vitnesses LEO J. CURTIS, W. S. CUMMINGS. 

